Oita Prefecture · Kyushu
道の駅 いんない
Usa City's only roadside station brings together stone bridges, yuzu, loach dishes and a place to rest in Innai.
Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
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Eat, shop, play, take in the view or rest. Choose from the station’s strengths to suit your day.
Start with information on Innai's 75 stone bridges, the bridge models and sightseeing leaflets to help choose nearby stops.
Choose yuzu soft serve for a short break or Ishibashi Chaya for lunch. The restaurant generally closes earlier than the market.
Look for Innai yuzu, yuzu kosho (a citrus and chili condiment), local vegetables, processed venison and wild boar, and softshell turtle from Ajimu.
The parking area, outdoor toilets, vending machines and seats under the eaves remain available outside shop hours.
Choose Torii Bridge for a short stone bridge visit, or the Nishi-Shiiya viewpoint for scenery. Takkiri Gorge is another option in summer.
Haruka Hinata sees this as a place to choose the next mountain-area stop without rushing. First, check parking, outdoor toilets and meal times. Then add just one thing according to your energy and the weather: yuzu soft serve, a loach dish, the stone bridge display, Torii Bridge or Usa's “Machu Picchu.” A modest plan leaves more room to appreciate Innai.
Michi-no-Eki Innai is Usa City's only roadside station, on National Route 387 and easily reached by heading south from Innai IC on the Usa–Beppu Road. Plan a tour of Innai's stone bridges at Ishibashi Station, browse yuzu products, local vegetables, game meat and Ajimu softshell turtle at the market, then choose yuzu soft serve, loach dishes or Usa-style fried chicken at Ishibashi Chaya. The parking area and outdoor toilets are available 24 hours, making this a useful rest stop on the way to Usa Jingū Shrine, Yabakei or Usa's “Machu Picchu” viewpoint.
Innai's villages are scattered through deep valleys, where 75 stone bridges of different sizes remain. See the bridge models and visitor information at the station before heading to Torii Bridge, Mikutsu Bridge (御沓橋) or Ryōaigawa Bridge. The detour reveals Innai's terrain and daily life as well as its bridges.
The market focuses on Innai yuzu products, yuzu kosho (a citrus and chili condiment), local vegetables and processed game meat. At Ishibashi Chaya, choices include hot pot and fried loach raised in clear water, Usa-style fried chicken, toriten (Oita-style chicken tempura), dango-jiru (a soup with hand-pulled wheat dumplings) and yuzu soft serve.
The parking area and outdoor toilets are available 24 hours, and there is seating under the eaves. The shops generally close at 17:00 and food service at 15:00, so plan lunch and shopping separately from an evening or overnight rest stop.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
After leaving Innai IC for National Route 387, use the toilet and get a drink, then browse yuzu products and local vegetables in the market. Even without a full meal, yuzu soft serve adds a taste of Innai to the stop.
Parking area → outdoor toilets → Ishibashi Station → market → yuzu soft serve
Food service is generally 10:00–15:00. Outside lunchtime, focus on the market and takeaway options.
Consider loach hot pot or fried loach at Ishibashi Chaya, alongside Usa-style fried chicken and toriten (Oita-style chicken tempura). Choose loach for something unusual, or the familiar local chicken dishes if you prefer.
See the stone bridge display → Ishibashi Chaya → buy yuzu gifts at the market → depart
Last orders are generally at 14:30. On busy days or if dishes sell out, leave room to choose yuzu soft serve or takeaway instead.
After learning about the bridges at the station, drive about 10 minutes to Torii Bridge. Its slender piers and five arches are a signature Innai sight that gives a sense of the area without a long walk.
Roadside station → Torii Bridge → return to National Route 387
Parking at Torii Bridge is limited. Avoid occupying a space for a long photo session, and watch your footing during the nighttime illumination.
Rest and shop at the station, then head to the Nishi-Shiiya viewpoint. The viewpoint overlooks terraced fields and a cone-shaped mountain; clear weather makes the view more rewarding than an overcast day. Seeing the landscape before late afternoon can also work well.
Roadside station → Nishi-Shiiya viewpoint → Amari Falls (余の滝) or Ryōai Terraced Rice Fields
There are few parking spaces at the viewpoint. In rain or fog, consider the station and stone bridges instead of centering the outing on this view.
The watercourse walking path is Takkiri Gorge's summer draw. Before leaving, use the station's toilets and pick up drinks and snacks; plan when to buy anything that needs to stay cool. Yuzu soft serve makes a relaxed finish on the return trip.
Roadside station → Takkiri Gorge → roadside station or Innai IC
The gorge is affected by seasonal operating periods and weather. Bring shoes that can get wet, a change of clothes, and check road conditions; sandals alone may not suffice.
Hours confirmed by the official access page, Kyushu Regional Development Bureau and operator release.
Last orders are generally at 14:30. Restaurant hours may change.
Usa City's Q&A says the parking area and outdoor toilets are available outside shop hours.
Inside Ishibashi Station; use them for stone bridge and nearby sightseeing information.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
Suitable for a short stop and use of the multipurpose toilet, rather than a long stay.
Tourism Oita lists a diaper-changing table in the multipurpose toilet. Plan this as a stop for the toilet, a drink and brief shopping rather than relying on nursing facilities or a long indoor stay.
Yuzu soft serve and displays may appeal, but keep children close in the market.
The stone bridge models and Japanese giant salamander display offer a brief point of interest. The outdoor rest area is beside the road, so watch for vehicles entering and leaving.
The bridges, yuzu soft serve and giant salamander display make easy small goals.
Pair a short station stop with Torii Bridge or Takkiri Gorge rather than expecting a long play session on site. In summer, bring a change of clothes and suitable footwear for the gorge.
A chance to talk about how stone bridges work and Innai's terrain.
After viewing the models, a visit to Torii Bridge changes how its piers and arches look. Picking just one bridge is more realistic than packing in a full research project.
Tourism Oita lists a multipurpose toilet with a diaper-changing table.
The restaurant is generally open 10:00–15:00. With small children, leave the option of yuzu soft serve or takeaway.
Use the station for a rest and exhibits, then add a short visit to Torii Bridge or a nearby outing such as Takkiri Gorge for play.
Rain makes bridges, viewpoints and the gorge less enjoyable, so focus on shopping and dining at the station.
On a drive through the mountain area along National Route 387, a toilet stop first makes it easier to choose the next sight.
Ishibashi Chaya is generally open until 15:00. If loach is the goal, arrive in the first part of lunchtime.
Parking space or stair access is limited at Torii Bridge and Usa's “Machu Picchu.” Decide on just one next stop from the station.
Permanent spaces and dated events are listed separately. Events can change both the atmosphere and crowds; use the official links for details.
Checking event dates.
Tourist information, stone bridge models and a Japanese giant salamander display help you plan a bridge tour.
Sheltered seating under the eaves suits a break outside shop hours or a short wait for food.
Bonsai for sale is another distinctive feature of the station. If buying one, plan for vehicle space, water spills and heat on the way home.
Some, including Torii Bridge, are illuminated at night. Check your footing and parking arrangements for events or bridge visits.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
Official and city tourism information presents the station as a starting point for stone bridge displays and visits. After shopping, seeing the models and continuing to Torii Bridge or the Nishi-Shiiya viewpoint leaves a stronger sense of Innai.
The official Ishibashi Chaya information highlights yuzu soft serve made with Innai yuzu. Even without a restaurant meal, the sweet treat and market make a satisfying stop.
Hot pot and fried dishes made with loach raised in clear water offer a taste of Innai. If your group has different preferences, Usa-style fried chicken or toriten (Oita-style chicken tempura) are other choices.
Usa City's Q&A says the parking area, outdoor toilets, vending machines and sheltered seating remain available outside shop hours. In the evening, plan on a toilet and rest stop rather than shopping or dining.
Takkiri Gorge offers watercourse walks in summer and autumn foliage. At the station, yuzu products, warm drinks and stone bridge information work across seasons. In poor weather, favor shopping and food over viewpoints or waterside stops.
FoundingBase began operating the station in April 2026. Products, events and how often news is posted may change, so check the official site and recent Instagram posts when planning a visit.
Opening and closure days, individual businesses and facilities for children or dogs can affect your plans.
Specialities, places to eat, sweets and bakeries can all give you a reason to stop. Check individual menus for current prices and availability.
A meal, a sweet treat, market shopping or something to take away: choose a focus for the day instead of trying everything at once.
For a break too short for a restaurant meal. The scent of yuzu makes the Innai stop memorable.
Try loach for an unusual local dish. If you also want familiar choices, combine fried chicken, toriten (chicken tempura) or dango-jiru (wheat-dumpling soup).
The restaurant is generally open until 15:00, with last orders at 14:30.
Choose fresh food and processed products separately when your return time is uncertain.
For travelers interested in the mountain area's food culture beyond standard gifts. Consider your journey home when choosing products that need chilling.
Use the toilet and shop first, then decide on a meal after checking seats and what food is available.
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Usa City's only roadside station brings together stone bridges, yuzu, loach dishes and a place to rest in Innai.
A good first visit if you want to see just one Innai bridge after the station's stone bridge display.
For a clear-day drive after lunch or shopping at the station, with one scenic stop added.
Before or after a waterside walk or camping, use the station for toilets, drinks and snacks.
A quiet nature detour for adults. After rain, check footing and road conditions.
If Usa Jingū Shrine is the day's main destination, add mountain-area food and shopping at the station for a broader view of Usa City.
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
